How does the Pancreas affects your Poop?  Most of us know that the Pancreas is the organ that makes insulin. One part of it’s job is to support and control blood sugar levels in the body.  Insulin moves sugar from the blood into the cells.

The Pancreas also makes glucagon which triggers the liver to break down stored sugar and release into the blood stream when needed.

Insulin and Glucagon have an inverses relationship and work together to help keep blood sugar stable.  Eating too many simple carbs and snacks can cause challenges and many have learned that increasing your intake of Good Fats can be helpful.  Keto diets which are heavy in Fat are very on trend right now however finding the right dietary balance of Fats/ Carbs/ Proteins is different for everyone based on the function and health of  their organs.

The Pancreas  has important function in  digestion.

It makes three major enzymes that are involved in digestion and the breakdown of foods so they can easily be absorbed by the intestines.  They are Amylase, Protease and Lipase.

You will notice if  have an amylase ( breaks down carbs ) deficiency as you will experience more gas and bloating as the undigested carbs make it to the colon.  The good new is the gas created will not smell bad.

If you have a protease defieciency ( breaks down proteins) your gas will be pretty stinky.

If you have a lipase deficiency ( breaks down fat) you will notice that your bowel movements will be oily.

So what can you do ?

1. You can take a supplement  that contains these three digestive enzymes.
2. It is more likely that you should take a supplement that has these enzymes and also has a soothing component like Glutamine
3. Review when you are eating and how much at one sitting
4. Review your Stress level.  You can not digest food when you are under stress.
5. Review the ratio of foods you consume:  Are you eating too many Carbs, too much Fat? etc ( If you are on a Keto Diet then you might require support)
6. Lastly the Pancreas if the organ of “Enough.”  If  you feeling not enough in an area of your life, then this  mindset could be driving your decisions around food and what kinds of food you are choosing.

If you are pregnant

You will go through a  lot of hormonal swings at various stages of pregnancy and postpartum.  Those swings cause increased  challenges to all the endocrine organs. This is why it is super important to keep Blood Sugar Stable through this process.

Now that you know more about how the Pancreas affects your Poop you can be your own health detective.

Have a healthy week and if you want to add Enzymes to your supplement plan  contact me so we can recommend the best solution for you.

Dr Pia